Antenna assembly and antenna system

Abstract

Antenna assembly comprising the combination of a steerable phased array antenna with omnidirectional sector and a GNSS antenna, and antenna system comprising the antenna assembly.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An antenna assembly comprising:
 a steerable phased array antenna with omnidirectional sector and a GNSS antenna, the steerable phased array antenna with omnidirectional sector being formed by a truncated cone-shaped bottom reflector with a wide end and a smaller pointing end and a truncated cone-shaped top reflector with a wide end and a smaller pointing end arranged in a superposition facing each other with their respective pointing ends, the steerable phased array antenna with omnidirectional sector being arranged in a spacing between the said truncated cone-shaped bottom reflector and truncated cone-shaped top reflector, wherein 
 the truncated cone-shaped bottom reflector and truncated cone-shaped top reflector are reflective for signals of the omnidirectional steerable phased array antenna, and 
 the truncated cone-shaped top reflector is further transparent for GNSS signals for the GNSS antenna. 
 
     
     
       2. The antenna assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the truncated cone-shaped bottom reflector is provided with a centrally arranged hole at its pointing end adapted for receiving and accommodating the GNSS antenna. 
     
     
       3. The antenna assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the steerable phased array antenna with omnidirectional sector is formed by an array antenna with at least three antenna elements or by at least four antenna. 
     
     
       4. The antenna assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the antenna elements are monopole antennas or dipole antennas. 
     
     
       5. The antenna assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the antenna elements are arranged to protrude upwards from the truncated cone-shaped bottom reflector in a direction toward the truncated cone-shaped top reflector within a spacing therebetween but not in contact with the truncated cone-shaped top reflector. 
     
     
       6. The antenna assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the truncated cone-shaped bottom reflector is provided with through holes at frustum thereof, adapted for receiving and accommodating the antenna elements. 
     
     
       7. The antenna assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the antenna elements and the GNSS antenna are arranged on a common platform. 
     
     
       8. The antenna assembly according to  claim 5 , further comprising a housing formed by a main body and a top cover with an open end and a closed opposite end, wherein the top cover is detachably arranged to the main body at the open end. 
     
     
       9. The antenna assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the truncated cone-shaped bottom reflector is fixed to the main body and the truncated cone-shaped top reflector is fixed to the top cover interior at the closed end thereof, and 
 there is no physical or electrical connection between the truncated cone-shaped bottom reflector and the truncated cone-shaped top reflector. 
 
     
     
       10. The antenna assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the steerable phased array antenna with omnidirectional sector is formed by an array antenna with at least three antenna elements or by at least four antenna. 
     
     
       11. The antenna assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a housing formed by a main body and a top cover with an open end and a closed opposite end, wherein the top cover is detachably arranged to the main body at the open end. 
     
     
       12. The antenna assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the truncated cone-shaped bottom reflector is fixed to the main body and the truncated cone-shaped top reflector is fixed to the top cover interior at the closed end thereof, and 
 there is no physical or electrical connection between the truncated cone-shaped bottom reflector and the truncated cone-shaped top reflector. 
 
     
     
       13. The antenna assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the antenna elements and the GNSS antenna are arranged on a common platform. 
     
     
       14. The antenna assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna elements and the GNSS antenna are arranged on a common platform. 
     
     
       15. The antenna assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the truncated cone-shaped bottom reflector form has a first shape and the truncated cone-shaped top reflector form has a second shape, and the first shape and second shape gain of the steerable phased array antenna with omnidirectional sector and maximizes radiation pattern of the steerable phased array antenna with omnidirectional sector in a 360 degree sector in horizontal plane of the steerable phased array antenna. 
     
     
       16. The antenna assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein lobe elevation beam width of the steerable phased array antenna with omnidirectional sector is given by length of sloping plane of the truncated cone-shaped bottom reflector and truncated cone-shaped top reflector and operating frequency. 
     
     
       17. An antenna system comprising the antenna assembly according to  claim 15 , comprising
 an antenna processing module provided with software for controlling phase and amplitude of the individual antenna elements, and 
 oscillators controlling operational frequency of the steerable phased array antenna with omnidirectional sector. 
 
     
     
       18. The antenna system according to  claim 17 , further comprising a time reference module arranged to extract a time reference from a GNSS receiver module arranged to the GNSS antenna. 
     
     
       19. The antenna system according to  claim 18 , wherein the antenna processing module is arranged to use the time reference from the time reference module for calibration of the oscillators controlling the operational frequency, and time synchronization of a radio module.